Four Points by Sheraton Best Brews Program

Melbourne loves both its quality hotels and its craft beers! Four Points by Sheraton, a fast-growing Marriott International hotel brand known for celebrating craft beer, is currently hosting a global tour discovering the world’s best craft beers through a series of Brew Off events. Four Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands, one of Marriott's newest hotels in Australia, was the third on the five-stop journey. Welcoming local media and beer lovers, The World Loves Melbourne hosted the event where guests were treated to the best of craft beer in Melbourne and insight into local craft beer by two of Melbourne's top brewers, Mountain Goat and Two Birds Brewing. Read more about the Brew Offhere.

Four Points by Sheraton’s Best Brews Around the World tour celebrates the brand’s signature Best Brews initiative that sees each of the brand’s 225+ hotels around the world showcase a local, craft beer chosen on taste, popularity, quality and proximity to the property. Overall the program offers travellers an authentic taste of local beer culture, no matter where they go. And we all know the power a good beer can have in bringing people together and making them feel welcome!

Guests frequenting Four Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands get to stay in a modern hotel with fabulous views, all in the heart of Melbourne. Docklands represents a new face of Melbourne on the rise, and the hotel’s connection to the local, authentic craft beer culture is a fabulous initiative - you don't have to visit the breweries, as the craft beer culture comes to you!

Here are the beers assembled on the balcony of Four Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands (below) just outside the room of the event. You can see the outline of the nearby Melbourne Star Observation Wheel - such a magical precinct. These beers are all first class and it was a keen task to judge them all. There were no bad beers and in the end the scores between each beer were close.

The Best Brews Brew Off events showcase the hospitality of the brand and the hotel associates’ attention to detail. Four Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands provided elaborate cheese, bread and charcuterie platters on arrival.

Melbourne embraces a sophisticated and innovative craft beer culture; a perfect destination for the Four Points by Sheraton Best Brews program.

Talking to the brewers before the event, both were hungry to win the incredible looking large trophy (would look great in any brewery awards cabinet).

The event touched on the spirit of iconic Melbourne. The view from the room of the Best Brews event also included a famous Melbourne tram below in the world's most liveable city.

At each Brew Off event during the Best Brews Around the World tour, beers from local craft breweries go up against each other for bragging rights. In this case there were three standout beers from Mountain Goat and three from Two Birds Brewing featured.

You don't always see different brewers collaborating like this - one of the brewers commented to me that this was great for the industry!

Also not all of the guests on the night had tasted all the beers before - for many it was a new and enlightening experience.

Not only were the brewers keen to win the trophy, but they were also battling to win the title of Four Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands Best Brew, seeing the triumphing brew go on tap at the hotel for both guests and locals to enjoy.

A highlight of the Brew Off and Best Brews initiative is the insight it provides into the local craft beer scene from the brewers themselves. For example, both Nathan Seamons from Mountain Goat (above) and Wilson Hede from Two Birds Brewing (below) spoke at the Brew Off and their passion for craft beer was evident. It was clear each brewery is innovative and a true pioneer in the Australian craft beer scene. Both Mountain Goat and Two Birds Brewing are keen to experiment with different brews and are bold in their approach.

David Hagger from The World Loves Melbourne (host) at the judging table with Stephen Ferrigno, General Manager of Four Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands.

The Best Brews program makes sure the conditions for tasting are ideal, including serving the beer fresh and cold!

A fun part of the Best Brews program is that the beers are not only judged by the official judges but also by the Brew Off crowd, comprised of local beer lovers and the hotel’s newly certified Cicerone. The beers were judged based on their appearance, aroma, taste and palate.

Here are some pics of the crowd craft beer tasting action.

Four Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands’ General Manager Stephen Ferrigno took the tasting seriously, in action evaluating the aroma (above) of one of the beers.

The tables of guests got into the spirit of the evening with a buzz in the room - this was serious beer judging but in a relaxed atmosphere!

The Best Brews program is social, participatory and convivial.

Cheers!

Discerning those craft beer aromas!

Tasting against the backdrop of the city lights.

The World Loves Melbourne pictured at the Best Brews bar in the hotel’s lobby with Stephen Ferrigno, General Manager at Four Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands, Nathan from Mountain Goat and Mitchell Goff, an associate at the hotel and in-house beer expert.

Nathan from Mountain Goat was thrilled to see the brand’s Pale Ale win the title of Best Brew. The Mountain Goat Pale Ale will be available on tap at the Four Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands Best Brews bar from 1 October, 2017 for three months for guests and locals to enjoy.

Nathan pictured here with Stephen Ferrigno, General Manager Four Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands as well as Mitchell Goff. Mitchell Goff is the Front Office Manager at Four Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands and the chosen hotel associate to complete the Cicerone Certification Program.

Four Points by Sheraton has enrolled select associates at each hotel on Best Brews Around the World tour in the globally recognised Cicerone Certification Program. It’s a program that is highly regarded in the food and beverage industry and is instrumental with the development of expert beer servers. Each of the selected Four Points by Sheraton associates (such as Mitchell, below far right) has trained and completed the first of four levels of the Cicerone Certification Program, becoming a Cicerone Certified Beer Server and on-property beer aficionado. Just another great element to the Best Brews program and creating a real, authentic craft beer experience.

Capturing the city vibe of Melbourne at Four Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands with the winning beer.

The World Loves Melbourne was excited to be involved with the Best Brews program, a truly local and global appreciation of craft beer. “Melbourne was a natural choice for the third stop of our global tour. Over the past few years, a variety of high-quality urban breweries, cider bars and distilleries have opened-up in the city centre, which has created an impressive craft beer scene that’s enjoyed by locals and visitors alike,” said Shu Ping Liang, Director of Brand & Marketing for Select Service Brands in Asia Pacific for Marriott International. “At Four Points by Sheraton, we know the power a good pint can have when it comes to bringing people together and letting them kick back and relax, no matter where they are in the world. We’re delighted to announce Mountain Goat Pale Ale as Four Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands’ “Best Brew”!”